Despite EEE threat, car show back on in Halifax

HALIFAX - The popular classic car shows in the Wal-Mart parking lot will go on as planned on Friday nights, despite the threat from mosquitoes carrying Eastern equine encephalitis.

By Kyle Alspach

The popular classic car shows in the Wal-Mart parking lot will go on as planned on Friday nights, despite the threat from mosquitoes carrying Eastern equine encephalitis.

Starting last Friday, a town health official banned organized outdoor events after 6 p.m. because of a heightened risk from EEE-infected mosquitoes in town.

But that decision will not affect the car show, said event organizer Nick DiSola.

"They said we can have it," DiSola said. "The cruise nights are definitely going on."

Health agent Cathleen Drinan, who issued the ban on events, could not be reached Tuesday.

The event is organized by the locally based Connecting Rods Auto Club, and draws 500 to 600 cars and thousands of visitors each night, according to DiSola.

Organizers were told last Friday that they had to cancel the event and subsequent ones, DiSola said. He wasn't sure why the exception is now being made for the car show, but noted that he had sent a complaint letter to the Board of Selectmen.

The event includes food vendors and a raffle, and raises at least $30,000 a year for Children's Hospital in Boston, DiSola said.

The event is in its fourth year. It will run through the end of September this year, every Friday night from about 5 p.m. until dark, DiSola said.

Kyle Alspach of The Enterprise (Brockton, Mass.) can be reached at kalspach@enterprisenews.com.

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